For a couple of years in my mid-twenties (yes, I know I'm dating myself), I lived in Blaine, Washington. Blaine is a small town with a population of about 3,000, where everyone has not only the same area code, but the same first three digits of their phone number (332), and so, can tell each other their phone numbers by just giving the last four digits. Blaine is literally the northwesternmost spot in the contiguous United States, about six hours north of Portland on I-5. At the time I lived there, I had finished three years of college in Canada, and was taking some time off before finishing the fourth. I worked on this side of the border, but spent most of my free time with friends over on the Canadian side.
One evening, I took a trip down to Bellingham with the girl who would eventually become my wife (we were just friends at the time), to see Pedro the Lion play. A band from New York called Ida, who I had never heard of, opened. It was a breathtaking surprise. They were good in ways I hadn't before imagined--their performance was as intimate as if we were a few friends gathered in their bedroom. I was struck with a sense that it was a privilege to be in the same room as their performance. I've seen a lot of bands play, but hadn't had the same awe of presence until I stumbled upon a live performance just this spring by Portland's Blind Pilot.
Ida released their EP, My Fair, My Dark, this week, and plays The Doug Fir on Monday with Portlander Tara Jane O'Neil.
MP3: Ida - Road to Ruin (from My Fair, My Dark)
MP3: Ida - Lovers Prayers (from Lovers Prayers)
More music & videos @ Polyvinyl
Also around that time, my Blaine roommate introduced me to the music of Seattle singer/songwriter Damien Jurado. I ended up liking it so much that I booked him to play on my school's campus, a show I'm still proud of to this day. Damien is a storyteller, and his music was my first education in something that is now obvious to me: that not every song written is a first-person, autobiographical wearing of a heart on a sleeve. Sometimes it's a fictional heart, and the music is all the richer for it, even if the person blogging about this music can't refrain from that sort of thing.
Damien Jurado's eighth album, Caught in the Trees, also came out this week, and he, too, plays the Doug Fir, at an early show tonight, with Jennifer O'Connor.
MP3: Damien Jurado - Gillian was a Horse (from Caught in the Trees)
MP3: Damien Jurado -Paperwings (from I Break Chairs)
What about you? What music did you hear at a particular place and time, that burned itself into your brain and/or your autobiography? Or, what's coming out soon that you're stoked about? The thread is wide open...
September 13, 2008 at 1:49pm by bendlistener
slightly off topic but your phone number story reminds me of a friend who had a house in a small town back east where the phone numbers also differed only by the last four digits. there, however, instead of giving out those four digits everyone had a mnemonic so if your number was 3825, for example, everyone knew your number as "duck" and 6666 would be "moon" etc. worked really well, except for people who had ones or zeros in their numbers.
September 13, 2008 at 3:55pm by bendlistener
enjoyed Buoy LaRue, thanks. did I hear a hint of Morphine in their music or am I off on this?
September 13, 2008 at 3:58pm by jpetersen
Yeah, I can hear that-- a bit of darkness in the music. More so, I hear the American Music Club if only for the Eitzel-esque vocals.
September 13, 2008 at 4:10pm by Karen
Hey Jeremy. Loved hearing Buoy LaRue tonight. They sounded more pop and less chamber than they did at the Someday Lounge (in July, was it)? But great tunes, multitextured sound. I like it.
How about a request? Any chance of playing an old Squeeze tune? I hear they're playing Monday at the Wonder Ballroom, and I sure wish I could go, since I'm finding myself hankering for those catchy tunes from my high school days.
September 13, 2008 at 4:15pm by jpetersen
Ha-- well Karen, inevitably when I put the requests thing out there, I get one for something not readily available. Take a raincheck? Tomorrow night? Something else in the meantime?
September 13, 2008 at 4:22pm by Karen
Ah, yes, I understand. Tomorrow would be great. Meantime, a little Blitzen Trapper? Totally different end of the spectrum, I know, but still. An awesome band.
Alternatively, I'd say maybe Musee Mecanique if you have any of their music on hand, or my friends A Cautionary Tale (had to throw it out there...). Thanks!
September 13, 2008 at 4:25pm by Karen
Oh, and I'd love to hear more from Damien Jurado. I was hanging out with some musician acquaintances last night who said that at a show in Spain some time back he had the whole audience in tears, so powerful and personal were his songs.
September 13, 2008 at 4:33pm by jpetersen
Can do, can do. I'm a longtime Jurado fan-- did you know that, despite his own sound, he discovered punk rock (notably Black Flag) when some custodian named Kurt made him a mixtape with a bunch of bands he liked on it. A few years later Kurt's band became sorta big. Anyway, that's the circle of life right there and it brings me to tears.
September 13, 2008 at 4:41pm by Karen
That's a great story! The stuff of legends. So amazing how artists influence each other, in so many ways.
btw, love the Starf-er tune. They're great, despite the name that can't be spoken. They've set up a bit of a marketing challenge (and also provocation) for themselves, and because the music is so good, it seems to be working.
September 13, 2008 at 4:48pm by jpetersen
I totally agree, no matter what the name it's not going to go anywhere unless the music is solid, and it is in their case-- a great listen from start to finish. We certainly wouldn't go out of our way to play a band with a name like that simply because it's a bit awkward to deal with how to say it on air, but obviously we are playing them and I'm glad to be. It does seem to be working.
September 14, 2008 at 3:30pm by inmemoryofjohnpeel
Hi JP,
Who is dcusick?
I've never been all over Taj Mahal but like that track which makes me wonder - what was the overlap with Capt. Beefheart? Did you ever listen to Beefheart's 'Trout Mask Replica'? For me every bit as important as, say, Sgt. Pepper.
September 14, 2008 at 4:12pm by jpetersen
DCusick is Dave Cusick, the newest member of the ever expanding opbmusic army. YOu can read his introduction here. He'll be doing his thing around these parts and also hosting In House from time to time.
Capt. Beefheart-- there's an act I've heard so much about but just have never explored in depth. They're certainly mentioned all the time as influences in a lot of my favorites. I think Taj, for the most part, has been pretty solid over four decades, although I tend to prefer his older stuff: 1968's The Natch'l Blues is a helluva listen.
September 14, 2008 at 4:38pm by inmemoryofjohnpeel
Well I think that's good - you need cover for those allergy times in the NW. Isn't Cusick the name from the famed music shop owner film - the name of which escapes me...? It has F Black in it.
I'm with you on the Taj analysis, I was surprised to like a new song. White Stripes... Raconteurs - both highly overrated I'm afraid.
Still not over the sensational Finn Riggins at MFNW - have their CD now, holds up well (played loud) but nothing (by any band) can match a seminal live performance.
September 14, 2008 at 5:02pm by gunky
Didn't catch much of this weekends In House, but partly that's because I was at Michael Franti's excellent show with Spearhead last night at Roseland. The venue is not very forgiving, but Franti's amazing on stage and his music was great and highly energetic. I'd love to hear you mix them in a bit.
I'm a Taj fan from way back, by the way, but likewise prefer older. Did you ever see the disc from 1992 re-releasing the early 60's stuff by the Rising Sons, none other than Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder? Great stuff. Music Keeps me Together, Mo Roots (with the classic version of Johnny Too Bad), Take A Giant Step .... all great albums.
So far Dave Cusick's doing a good job holding up his end of the team. I do detect a slightly different bent, maybe some older stuff (or do I?).
September 14, 2008 at 5:14pm by inmemoryofjohnpeel
Gunky - I've been in and out of the In House show too this weekend, but JP does a sterling job. Franti is a genius, Not to my taste but admired is the 'pop-soul' CD he produced in a clear effort to shift voters of that ilk. Often pedantic he is nevertheless brilliant - I recently pulled William Burrough's Spare Ass Annie from my shelves and Franti has a big influence on that too.
But this stuff is "left-field" as you say in the states, and OPB and it's team need to drive a line through many tastes.
As for venues, any place that treats people like cattle or terrorists doesn't get my support. But the venue is sometimes overtaken by the event organiser.
September 17, 2008 at 4:48am by jpetersen
Gunky-- you'll be glad to know we've been playing the new Franti and Spearhead. I love that Rising Sons release-- quite a duo heading up that one for sure. We've actually played a couple of things from it here from time to time. I saw him play a few years back and he's a consummate showman.
I don't know that the new Dave (Cusick) has an older bent, per se, although he did profess his love for new wave in his introduction. Also, he likes Swedish pop.
Cattle-- that's exactly how I've felt in the venues I can't stand to see shows in. I won't name any local names but the oddly named In the Venue in Salt Lake City takes the, er, cattle cake, as it were.
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